AC Compressor acting funny
#1
07-22-2011, 03:45 PM
AC Compressor acting funny
I replaced the AC in march but didn't recharge it then (waited for summer). I went to the mechanic to recharge it a month back and he told me that Compressor is faulty as it wont recharge. I took it to another tech and he found out that their was air in the compressor and that's why it wont work and he recharged the AC and it worked fine(not ice cold though)
Now for past couple weeks its acting funny. I turn it on and it won't cool and then ill turn it off and on again for like twenty times and it would just pick it up. It feels as if the compressor isn't turning on or something. I keep trying on and off and 15 or 20mins later it would turn and start cooling the car but after a while cooling would start reducing and i would do the same process again.
I can't tell what is the problem. Is it a AC leak or bad compressor or something else? I am in warranty so i can get another one although labor ain't covered and that sucks. Any suggestions ppl
PS - BTW my tech had not replaced drier when installing new compressor, not sure if that has anything to do with it
Now for past couple weeks its acting funny. I turn it on and it won't cool and then ill turn it off and on again for like twenty times and it would just pick it up. It feels as if the compressor isn't turning on or something. I keep trying on and off and 15 or 20mins later it would turn and start cooling the car but after a while cooling would start reducing and i would do the same process again.
I can't tell what is the problem. Is it a AC leak or bad compressor or something else? I am in warranty so i can get another one although labor ain't covered and that sucks. Any suggestions ppl
PS - BTW my tech had not replaced drier when installing new compressor, not sure if that has anything to do with it
Last edited by prady; 07-22-2011 at 03:47 PM.
#3
07-26-2011, 12:24 PM
I could be many things. I have a couple guesses which may or may not waste all your time. My 1st being the high or low pressure switch, if it turns on and works ok then something is telling it to turn off. You can tell it to turn off, the low pressure switch or the high pressure switch all can turn off the AC. My 2nd guess would be the AC relay, maybe it's flakey and randomly turning it on and off.
I have not done this myself, but I know you can test the high and low pressure switches with a multimeter. You'll have to search to find how and what values you are looking for. It's also possible your receiver dryer leaked desiccant(sp?) and that has caused a restriction in your expansion valve or the condenser. That would created back pressure and trip the high pressure switch correctly. It also would not let you turn the AC back on until the pressure dropped.
Troubleshooting AC systems suck, if you have access to R134 manifold gauges I suggest you hook them up and monitor what the pressures are when the AC is on.
But again, 1st verify the high / low sensors are working properly as that is the cheapest solution. Unless you already have a manifold gauge set, do that 1st.
I have not done this myself, but I know you can test the high and low pressure switches with a multimeter. You'll have to search to find how and what values you are looking for. It's also possible your receiver dryer leaked desiccant(sp?) and that has caused a restriction in your expansion valve or the condenser. That would created back pressure and trip the high pressure switch correctly. It also would not let you turn the AC back on until the pressure dropped.
Troubleshooting AC systems suck, if you have access to R134 manifold gauges I suggest you hook them up and monitor what the pressures are when the AC is on.
But again, 1st verify the high / low sensors are working properly as that is the cheapest solution. Unless you already have a manifold gauge set, do that 1st.
#4
07-26-2011, 02:56 PM
I could be many things. I have a couple guesses which may or may not waste all your time. My 1st being the high or low pressure switch, if it turns on and works ok then something is telling it to turn off. You can tell it to turn off, the low pressure switch or the high pressure switch all can turn off the AC. My 2nd guess would be the AC relay, maybe it's flakey and randomly turning it on and off.
I have not done this myself, but I know you can test the high and low pressure switches with a multimeter. You'll have to search to find how and what values you are looking for. It's also possible your receiver dryer leaked desiccant(sp?) and that has caused a restriction in your expansion valve or the condenser. That would created back pressure and trip the high pressure switch correctly. It also would not let you turn the AC back on until the pressure dropped.
Troubleshooting AC systems suck, if you have access to R134 manifold gauges I suggest you hook them up and monitor what the pressures are when the AC is on.
But again, 1st verify the high / low sensors are working properly as that is the cheapest solution. Unless you already have a manifold gauge set, do that 1st.
I have not done this myself, but I know you can test the high and low pressure switches with a multimeter. You'll have to search to find how and what values you are looking for. It's also possible your receiver dryer leaked desiccant(sp?) and that has caused a restriction in your expansion valve or the condenser. That would created back pressure and trip the high pressure switch correctly. It also would not let you turn the AC back on until the pressure dropped.
Troubleshooting AC systems suck, if you have access to R134 manifold gauges I suggest you hook them up and monitor what the pressures are when the AC is on.
But again, 1st verify the high / low sensors are working properly as that is the cheapest solution. Unless you already have a manifold gauge set, do that 1st.
#5
07-26-2011, 03:26 PM
AC work is rather simple in practice once you understand the basics.
The low pressure switch checks to make sure enough coolant r143 is in the system to turn on. If it is too low, and it runs the compressor, it will damage the very expensive compressor.
The high pressure switch checks to make sure too much pressure isn't being created. If too much pressure is created, it could damage the compressor. There is a valve on the compressor that will open to release extra pressure in an emergency. But that will only happen if the high pressure switch fails to turn the compressor off.
The receiver dryer removes moisture from the system. Just like the little white bag inside a bag of beef jerky or the cotton in the top of an aspirin container. The receiver dryer is filled with what's called a desiccant. Break open that little white bag inside your beef jerky container, the one that says not to eat it. It is filled with ***** of desiccant. Same stuff basically as Damp-rid, well sort of. If the receiver dryer breaks open, all those little ***** of desiccant flow through your AC system until they clog something up. Most likely the condenser or the expansion valve. If your system was left exposed to air for too long, the receiver dryer will stop removing moisture. It's basically a moisture filter.
The expansion valve is a valve, think of a garden hose with a sprayer head on it. That's basically an expansion valve. You have a hose maybe 1" in diameter filled with moving water that gets reduced to maybe a tiny 1/16th inch hole. So if those little ***** of desiccant are roaming the AC system they can plug up that tiny 1/16th inch hole easily, but not the 1" garden hose feeding it. FWIW, the flow of coolant r134 goes in the opposite direction of my example.
The free roaming desiccant can also plug or significantly reduce the flow of coolant to the condenser. The condenser is right in front of the radiator of your car and does the same basic job. It gets rid of the heat from the passenger cabin but it also condenses the coolant back into a liquid.
Although you will more than likely just pay an AC shop to fix your car, I suggest you watch some youtube videos or read some general AC websites so you understand what it is they want to do and charge you for with your car. The more informed you are, the better decisions you will make.
Best of luck
The low pressure switch checks to make sure enough coolant r143 is in the system to turn on. If it is too low, and it runs the compressor, it will damage the very expensive compressor.
The high pressure switch checks to make sure too much pressure isn't being created. If too much pressure is created, it could damage the compressor. There is a valve on the compressor that will open to release extra pressure in an emergency. But that will only happen if the high pressure switch fails to turn the compressor off.
The receiver dryer removes moisture from the system. Just like the little white bag inside a bag of beef jerky or the cotton in the top of an aspirin container. The receiver dryer is filled with what's called a desiccant. Break open that little white bag inside your beef jerky container, the one that says not to eat it. It is filled with ***** of desiccant. Same stuff basically as Damp-rid, well sort of. If the receiver dryer breaks open, all those little ***** of desiccant flow through your AC system until they clog something up. Most likely the condenser or the expansion valve. If your system was left exposed to air for too long, the receiver dryer will stop removing moisture. It's basically a moisture filter.
The expansion valve is a valve, think of a garden hose with a sprayer head on it. That's basically an expansion valve. You have a hose maybe 1" in diameter filled with moving water that gets reduced to maybe a tiny 1/16th inch hole. So if those little ***** of desiccant are roaming the AC system they can plug up that tiny 1/16th inch hole easily, but not the 1" garden hose feeding it. FWIW, the flow of coolant r134 goes in the opposite direction of my example.
The free roaming desiccant can also plug or significantly reduce the flow of coolant to the condenser. The condenser is right in front of the radiator of your car and does the same basic job. It gets rid of the heat from the passenger cabin but it also condenses the coolant back into a liquid.
Although you will more than likely just pay an AC shop to fix your car, I suggest you watch some youtube videos or read some general AC websites so you understand what it is they want to do and charge you for with your car. The more informed you are, the better decisions you will make.
Best of luck
#6
07-30-2011, 08:44 PM
AC work is rather simple in practice once you understand the basics.
The low pressure switch checks to make sure enough coolant r143 is in the system to turn on. If it is too low, and it runs the compressor, it will damage the very expensive compressor.
The high pressure switch checks to make sure too much pressure isn't being created. If too much pressure is created, it could damage the compressor. There is a valve on the compressor that will open to release extra pressure in an emergency. But that will only happen if the high pressure switch fails to turn the compressor off.
The receiver dryer removes moisture from the system. Just like the little white bag inside a bag of beef jerky or the cotton in the top of an aspirin container. The receiver dryer is filled with what's called a desiccant. Break open that little white bag inside your beef jerky container, the one that says not to eat it. It is filled with ***** of desiccant. Same stuff basically as Damp-rid, well sort of. If the receiver dryer breaks open, all those little ***** of desiccant flow through your AC system until they clog something up. Most likely the condenser or the expansion valve. If your system was left exposed to air for too long, the receiver dryer will stop removing moisture. It's basically a moisture filter.
The expansion valve is a valve, think of a garden hose with a sprayer head on it. That's basically an expansion valve. You have a hose maybe 1" in diameter filled with moving water that gets reduced to maybe a tiny 1/16th inch hole. So if those little ***** of desiccant are roaming the AC system they can plug up that tiny 1/16th inch hole easily, but not the 1" garden hose feeding it. FWIW, the flow of coolant r134 goes in the opposite direction of my example.
The free roaming desiccant can also plug or significantly reduce the flow of coolant to the condenser. The condenser is right in front of the radiator of your car and does the same basic job. It gets rid of the heat from the passenger cabin but it also condenses the coolant back into a liquid.
Although you will more than likely just pay an AC shop to fix your car, I suggest you watch some youtube videos or read some general AC websites so you understand what it is they want to do and charge you for with your car. The more informed you are, the better decisions you will make.
Best of luck
The low pressure switch checks to make sure enough coolant r143 is in the system to turn on. If it is too low, and it runs the compressor, it will damage the very expensive compressor.
The high pressure switch checks to make sure too much pressure isn't being created. If too much pressure is created, it could damage the compressor. There is a valve on the compressor that will open to release extra pressure in an emergency. But that will only happen if the high pressure switch fails to turn the compressor off.
The receiver dryer removes moisture from the system. Just like the little white bag inside a bag of beef jerky or the cotton in the top of an aspirin container. The receiver dryer is filled with what's called a desiccant. Break open that little white bag inside your beef jerky container, the one that says not to eat it. It is filled with ***** of desiccant. Same stuff basically as Damp-rid, well sort of. If the receiver dryer breaks open, all those little ***** of desiccant flow through your AC system until they clog something up. Most likely the condenser or the expansion valve. If your system was left exposed to air for too long, the receiver dryer will stop removing moisture. It's basically a moisture filter.
The expansion valve is a valve, think of a garden hose with a sprayer head on it. That's basically an expansion valve. You have a hose maybe 1" in diameter filled with moving water that gets reduced to maybe a tiny 1/16th inch hole. So if those little ***** of desiccant are roaming the AC system they can plug up that tiny 1/16th inch hole easily, but not the 1" garden hose feeding it. FWIW, the flow of coolant r134 goes in the opposite direction of my example.
The free roaming desiccant can also plug or significantly reduce the flow of coolant to the condenser. The condenser is right in front of the radiator of your car and does the same basic job. It gets rid of the heat from the passenger cabin but it also condenses the coolant back into a liquid.
Although you will more than likely just pay an AC shop to fix your car, I suggest you watch some youtube videos or read some general AC websites so you understand what it is they want to do and charge you for with your car. The more informed you are, the better decisions you will make.
Best of luck
Also do u think this could be a cheap workaround?...
‪Repair your own car's air conditioner cheaply‬‏ - YouTube
#9
08-01-2011, 01:05 PM
It would only be a cheap workaround if you didn't have a mechanical problem. The linked video assumes your AC would work if the computer wasn't bad I doubt that is your case. If you want it to work and don't have the skills yourself, you'll have to take it to a reputable AC repair shop and have it diagnosed. Maybe you'll get lucky and it's a cheap $30.00 dollar relay.